BSF seizes 82 fake licences of Indian truck drivers at Petrapole-Benapole border

India's Border Security Force (BSF) today said it has seized 82 fake driving licences from truck drivers at the Petrapole Integrated Check Post, South Asia's largest trade point, at the Benapole border with Bangladesh.

BSF's South Bengal frontier unit said its troops launched an intensive search at Petrapole check post on January 16 and 17 following inputs that "a few drivers (of heavy vehicles like trucks) are involved in carrying out trans-border crimes such as smuggling of gold, silver, phensedyl, and drugs while engaged in export and import of goods between India and Bangladesh," BSF spokesman Krishna Rao said in a statement.

BSF seized a total of 82 "fake" licences from the truck drivers after conducting a surprise check of the authenticity of the driving licences of those who are engaged in export-import by road through ICP-Petrapole, our New Delhi correspondent reported citing the statement.

Accordingly, the BSF handed over the 82 fake driving licences to the Indian Customs authorities. The concerned authorities of Customs and Land Port Authority of India were conveyed that BSF cannot allow those trucks to go to Bangladesh whose drivers were found carrying fake driving licences, it said.

"The BSF stated that no driver with fake driving licence can be allowed to ply the trucks to Bangladesh at any cost because such drivers obtain fake car passes from the Customs department on the basis of driving licence upon which BSF allows the trucks to go inside Bangladesh," the statement also read.

BSF has decided to bolster security at Petrapole after the border guarding force seized smuggled gold worth around Rs 1,44,22,356 from a transporter while he was trying to escape on a bike on January 4, according to the statement.

Acting on an intelligence input, BSF seized 50 kg marijuana from an Indian truck on January 9 this year apart from several seizures of illegal items including narcotics in the last few months.

The statement also said while BSF does not want to cause any "disruption" in cross-border trade between the two neighbours, rules in this regard will have to be followed.

In order to ensure "smooth running of the trade between India and Bangladesh, the BSF has informed Bongaon Transport Association in West Bengal to follow the standing operating procedure so that security and interests of the nations are not compromised," it said.

BSF also said it has intercepted illegal gold, fake Indian currency notes (FICN) and narcotics a number of times while checking these incoming trucks carrying import cargo from Bangladesh.

"In all these illegal activities, the role of Indian transporters, labourers, drivers, helpers and different agents, sub agents, etc. have been established," the BSF said.

It said there have also been instances of road accidents caused by truck drivers carrying fake licences and a BSF jawan was killed in an incident in October last year.

The BSF statement came after some local trade bodies called a strike protesting BSF's "high handedness" in clearing trucks and truck drivers at Petrapole.